Tanking plant



y 6, 1952 J. MARCOU 2,595,399

TANKING PLANT Filed March so, 1948 2 SHEETSShEET 1 May 6, 1952 Filed March 30, 1948 2 SHEETS-SEET 2 78 77 73 Z6 Z2 51 M Fig.2.

---as \r as A 36 32 61 5 Patented May 6, 1952 TANKING PLANT .lean Marcou, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Anonyme Tecalemit, Paris, France.

Application March 30, 1948, Serial No. 17,902 In France April 8, 1 947 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a tanking plant, that is a plant designed to pump over liquids by large amounts.

The purpose of the invention is to simplify the filling of a group of tanks certain parts of which are not easily accessible, e. g. aircraft tanks, by relieving the attendants from the necessity of accomplishing often risky bodily performances.

The plant comprises:

1. A plurality of tanks to be filled, each of which is equipped with a system composed of a composite valve with a stop valve therein, an ejector and a pilot pipe connecting the former with the latter.

2. A central control station common to all the tanks to be filled, which comprises a manifold connected by a main pipe with the delivery of the pump and by branch pipes with the respective composite valves of the system.

3. At the central station, a meter in each branch pipe to measure the amount of liquid forced into the tank concerned.

4.. At the central station, tell-tale devices to indicate whether liquid is being fed into the respective tanks.

5. In each pilot pile, a device responsive to the pressure of the liquid in said pipe and adapted to actuate the related tell-tale device at the central station.

In a plant according to this invention the pumping operation is controlled from a central station at which tell-tale devices are provided which are responsive to the pressures prevailing in the related pilot pipes during the tanking operation, As long as pressure is present in the pilot pipe concerned the related tell-tale device is kept in its on position, and same is switched to its oil position as soon as the flow of liquid into the related tank has been stopped, in response to the action of the related ejector, upon the liquid in the related tank reaching the desired level.

Each system in the plant comprises the following elements:

(a) A stop valve controlled by a vacuum set up in a diaphragm chamber upon a predetermined level being reached in the tank filled, which stop valve may be located anywhere with respect to the tank to be filled.

(b) An ejector comprising a nozzle and an outlet cone, which is affixed to the tank at that level up to which same is to be filled.

(c) A vacuum pipe connecting the diaphragm chamber with a point between the nozzle and the cone of the ejector, through whieh pipe vacuum i tippl 0 9 9 t di hra m upon h liquid in the tank reaching a predetermined level.

(d) A pilot pipe connecting the composite valve with the ejector nozzle and through which part of the liquid pumped over is led into the cone.

(e) Connecting means between the tank to be filled and the space at the other side of thediaphragm for the purpose of equalizing the pressures at either side ofsaid diaphragm.

(f) Means to allow the liquid pumped to ascend in the vacuum. pipe in proportion as its level rises in the tank.

(9) Means connected with the pilot pipe to allow the pressure prevailing in said pipe to act upon a device for the remote control of a signal.

A better understanding of the invention will be had from the following description of one embodiment of the same, in which reference is had to the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrative of a plant designed for the filling of a set of three tanks.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a tank equipped according to the invention, the composite valve being affixed to an accessible part of the tank while the valve-actuating ejector is secured to the topmost portion of the tank at the level to be established therein.

As diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 the plant is designed for the filling of a set of tanks carried by a flying boat, a designating a tank arranged in the wing and b, c designating tanks enclosed in the hull of the flying boat.

Each of said tanks at, b, c is equipped with the aforesaid system. Affixecl too each tank at any suitable place is the composite valve I which comprises the stop valve 2; the ejector 5l-52 is secured to the tank wall at the level to be reached by the fuel in said tank. Each composite valve l is connected with the related ejector 55-52 by a pilot pipe 35 through which only part of the flow is shunted. The bulk oi the flow is led directly into the tanks through the composite valves I connected through branch pipes d with the manifold e located in the central station I. The manifold e is connected through the main pipe 9 with the delivery side of the tanking pump (not shown). Valves 1n may be provided in the manifold e'to control the flow through the branch pipes d.

Provided in each branch pipe at the central station is a meter h, designed to measurethe amarunt of liquid pumped over into the related Tell-tale devices 1 are also provided at the central station by means ofwhich the filling of each particular tank can conveniently besupervised.

The tell-tale devices 2' are controlled electrically through relays 7' provided in the lines k and responsive to the pressure prevailing during the pumping operation in the pilot pipes 35, each of which pipes is connected through a union I with means adapted, in dependency on the pressure of the liquid, to close a circuit and which may be of any known type, said means remaining without the scope of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the appended drawing, which illustrates one of the systems composing the plant according to the invention, the cast valve-casing I which contains the stop valve 2 is formed with an elbow 3 provided with a flange 4 by means of which the composite valve can be secured to the tank 5 to be filled. Formed in the opposite side of the casing I is a cup-like projection 6 provided wtih a flange I on which a similar cup-like cover 8 is secured which is formed with an internally threaded tubular boss 9 designed to receive a connecting pipe.

A sleeve H is made a drive fit in the suitably bored restricted portion I8 of the casing I; slidably received in said sleeve is the stop valve 2 which is formed with a solid bottom, ports I3 being provided in its skirt portion through which the liquid pumped over can flow on as long as said valve 2 is kept in its open position.

The sleeve I I is formed with a flange I4 which rests on a shoulder I5 of the casing I while the bottom l2 of the valve is formed with a flange I6 which flts the flange I4 of the sleeve II in the closed position of the valve.

Secured centrally to the under side of valve 2 is a stud I'I slidably received in a cup-like member I8 formed with an inner coaxial cylinder I9 which in turn is formed at the top thereof with a wall 28 drilled with an axial hole designed to guide the aforesaid stud H in the course of the displacements of a device intended to cushion water-hammering effects as will be described later on.

The member I8 is provided with retaining lugs 2I enclosed between the flange 22 of casing I and a flange 23 on a main pipe union 24. Said lugs are so dimensioned that they will not interfere with the flow of liquid.

Rigid with the valve 2 is an upward tubular extension 26 the upper edge of which is bevelled to provide a seat for a non-return valve 28 loaded by a spring 29 rested with the interposition of a washer 38 on an inwardly projecting hub 32 of the casing I, the outwardly projecting portion 33 of said hub being designed for connection with a union 34 at the end of the pilot pipe 35.

The non-return valve 28 is guided on a tube 36 screwed in casing I and is formed with a shoulder 3l' by which the washer 38 is held in position.

The device for cushioning the water-hammering effect comprises a piston movable within the chamber I9. The piston is composed of an outer disc 38 slightly smaller in diameter than the bore of the chamber I9 and of an inner disc 39 drilled with a series of holes 48. The outer disc 38 rests at 4! on the end of stud 11. Ring 39 is loosely mounted between the ring 38 and a shoulder 42 on stud IT.

The space between the cup-like side extension 6 and the companion cover 8 provides a chamber divided into two compartments 43, 44 by a diaphragm 45 urged towards the inside by a spring 46.

The boss 9 is suitably machined to receive a union 41 from which the vacuum pipe 48 leads to a union 49 screwed in the ejector located at the topmost portion of the tank to be filled.

Said level-limiting ejector is located at the level to be attained in the tank and comprises a nozzle 5I and a cone 52, and will become operative as soon as the cone is flooded.

The nozzle 5| is connected permanently through the pilot pipe with the liquid chamber 53 provided above the seat I6 of the stop valve 2, and a duct 54 sets the atmosphere of the tank into communication with the compartment 44 of the diaphragm chamber to prevent the undesirable creation of a vacuum therein.

In order to equalize the pressures at either side of the diaphragm a boss 55 is cast with the casing I in which boss hole 56 is drilled through which the tank communicates with a ring chan nel 5! which in turn communicates through an orifice 59 with the compartment 43 of the diaphragm chamber. As a result of this novel arrangement, any increase in the pressure prevailing within the tank, which becomes effective in compartment 44 through the vacuum pipe 48, will also be effective in compartment 43. In this manner, the only resistance to be overcome when the diaphragm is snapped to the right by the action of the vacuum created by the ejector 5 I-52 upon the desired lever being attained in the tank is that of spring 46.

The pressure created by the liquid head in the tank is prevented from untimely releasing the stop valve 2 in the event it should become higher than the force exerted by the loading spring 46 acting upon the diaphragm in the following manner:

The diaphragm 45 is clamped between a pair of central discs 68, 6| carried by a hub 62 slidably mounted with a slight axial play on the cylindrical shaft 63 of a latch 64.

Said latch 64 keeps the stop valve 2 in its open position during the tanking operation and is guided in a bushing 65 screwed in the wall 66 of casing I.

Said latch is formed with a shoulder 61 designed to limit its displacement towards the inside of the casing and carries at its outer end a packing ring '68 clamped thereon with the aid of a nut 69 screwed on the slant outer end of said latch, by which nut it is pressed against the end face of said shaft.

Milled in the shaft 63 are a plurality of grooves I8 through which the liquid in compartment 43 can flow over into compartment 44 at the other side of the diaphragm 45.

With the hub 62 of diaphragm 45 in the position shown, i. e. as long as an axial play exists between the outer face of the hub and the packing ring 68, the liquid can flow through the ends of the grooves III from compartment 43 into compartment 45-'of the diaphragm chamber.

The result of this is that during the tanking operation the levelof liquid will rise simultaneously in .the tank 5 and the vacuum pipe 48.

The tell-tale device comprises a diaphragm chamber 12 enclosing a diaphragm 13 one side of which communicates through a T-union with a port I5 in the pilot pipe 35.

On its opposite side the diaphragm E5 carries a contact stud I6 adapted to engage a fixed contact stud 11 carried by the diaphragm chamber housing I2 and connected through a, lead I8 with a relay (not shown in Fig. 2) visible at in Fig. 1.

With the several elements of the system in the position shown in Fig. 2, which is the set position, the operation is as follows:

The liquid that flows through the main supply pipe (not shown) into the composite valve screwed thereon with its threaded portion enters the. liquid chamber 53 above the bottom I2 of the stop valve 2 past the retaining lugs 2| of the cup-likemember l8.

As long as the liquid pressure is insufficient to lift the non-return valve 28 against the action of spring 29 the liquid will flow into tank 5 through pilot pipe 35, nozzla5l and cone 52 of .the ejector.

Upon the liquid pressure becoming sufficient to overcome the force of spring 29 and thereby to open the non-return valve 28 the liquid will also flow into tank 5 past said non-return valve 28.

For the time the tanking operation is going on the pressures at either side of the diaphragm are equalized through 56--58-5?59 on one hand and through pipe 48 on the other hand. This provides the new means stated in paragraph (e) of the preamble which means make it certain that, the only resistance to be overcome when the sucking effect of the ejector 5l52 influences the diaphragm 45 upon the desired level being attained is the force of spring 46.

Upon the liquid reaching the level of duct 56 it will flow over through said duct 56 and the passageways 58--5159 into compartment 43 of the diaphragm chamber and thence through the grooves in into the other chamber 44. Henceforth the liquid level will rise equally in the tank 5 and the vacuum pipe 48, sothat with the aid of this arrangement equality in the pressures at either side of the diaphragm 45 is ensured irrespective of the level reached by the liquid in the tank. This does away with any risk of an untimely tripping of the valve latch which otherwise would occur upon the liquid head overcoming the force of spring 46.

As soon as liquid is pumped over the delivery pressure prevails in the pilot pipe and becomes effective upon the diaphragm 13 in chamber 12 through the hole 15 and the passageway 14, with the result that due to the deformation of the diaphragm the stud 16 is lifted into engagement with Dealt with will now be what occurs upon the liquid in any tank reaching the level predetermined by the position of the ejector together with the duct 54 by which equality is maintained between the pressures in the tank and the compartment 44 of the diaphragm chamber and which is designed to preclude any undesired suction effect in said compartment in the event an air pocket should burst at the outlet of the ejector (which normally operates in non-wetted wall conditions for the purpose of precluding any formation of an emulsion) In fact, the duct 54 is located on one horizontal plane with the ejector.

Upon the ejector and the duct 54 becoming flooded, a depression is created abruptly which becomes effective in two steps.

In the first step the hub 62 rigid with diaphragm comes into engagement with its right end with the packing ring 63, whereby the compartments 43 and 44 are out off from each other.

In the second step the vacuum becomes fully effective, so that the latch 64 is snapped to the right as shown in the drawing through the medium of the packing ring 68, whereby the stop valve 2-26 is released.

The entire liquid pressure that acts upon the difference in the sections of the non-return valve and the stop valve in the slidable portion thereof (which is the larger) shifts said step valve into closed position.

Thereupon the cushioning device il-St-td-dii becomes effective to deaden the displacement of the valve since the liquid that entered the space [9 through the holes 4!] during the pumping operation can only flow out slowly through the various leaks in the device.

The stop valve thus braked as desired in its movement comes then into engagement with its ring edge It with its seat E4 on the sleeve ll so that no liquid can flow henceforth towards the tank.

As soon as the supply pressure is released the whole of the non-return valve 28 and the stop valve 2 is snapped by the spring 29 back into the position shown in Fig. 2, i. e. into its set condition.

As a result of the release of spring 45 the diaphragm is snapped towards the left as shown in the drawing and the latch 64 is returned to its valve-locking position; the composite valve is ready for a new tanking operation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for automatically filling a tank up to a certain level of the vertical walls of such tank by means of an admission pipe-system of liquid under pressure comprising a body provided with a threaded opening connected with the admission pipe-system of liquid under pre sure, an enlarged flanged opening fitted against a corresponding opening of a vertical wall of the tank, and a third opening with smaller diameter than the two previous'holes, a pilot pipe mounted in the third opening of the body and rising towards the upper part of the tank, a nozzle mounted at the top end of this pilot pipe, a cone placed opposite the nozzle and entering in the vertical wall of the tank at a higher level than the level to which the flanged opening of the body emerges in the tank, a member enclosing the space included between the nozzle and the cone, a valve sliding in the body and whose position may either permit or stop the admission of the liquid under pressure towards the flanged opening of the body and towards the opening with the Smallest diameter on which is mounted the pilot pipe, this valve being thrust by the pressure of the liquid coming from the threaded opening towards the closing position of this valve and means keeping the valve open during the filling of the tank and closing the valve under the action of the depression which forms in the space included between the nozzle and the cone when this space is flooded by the liquid filling the tank when the level of this liquid reaches the cone.

2. A device for automatically filling a tank up to a certain level of the vertical walls of such tank by means of an admission pipe-system of liquid under pressure comprising a body provided with a threaded opening connected with the admission pipe-system of liquid under pressure, an enlarged flanged opening fitted against a corresponding opening of a vertical wall of the tank, and a third opening with smaller diameter than the two previous holes, a pilot pipe mounted in the third opening of the body and rising towards the upper part of the tank, a nozzle mounted at the top end of this pilot pipe, a cone placed opposite the nozzle and entering in the vertical wall of the tank at a higher level than the level to which the flanged opening of the body emerges in the tank, a member enclosing the space included between the nozzle and the cone, a valve sliding in the body and whose position may either permit or stop the admission of the liquid under pressure towards the flanged opening of the body and towards the opening with the smallest diameter on which is mounted the pilot pipe, this valve being thrust by the pressure of the liquid coming from the threaded opening towards the closing position of this valve, the body comprising an extension constituting a side chamber, a diaphragm contained in this side chamber and dividing into two zones this side chamber, means embodying the balancing of the pressures in the two zones of the side chamber as well as the transmission to that of these two zones of the side chamber the furthest away from the body of the. depression which forms in the space included between the nozzle and the cone when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches this cone as well as means keeping the valve open for the filling of the tank and closing this valve under the control of the diaphragm contained in the side chamber when this diaphragm is deformed by the depression which results in that of the two zones of the side chamber which is the furthest away from the body.

3. A device for automatically filling a tank up to a certain level of the vertical walls of such tank by means of an admission pipe-system of liquid under pressure comprising a body provided with a threaded opening connected with the admission pipe-system of liquid under pressure, an enlarged flanged opening fitted against a corresponding opening of a vertical wall of a tank, and a, third opening with smaller diameter than the two previous holes, a pilot pipe mounted in. the third opening of the body and rising towards the upper part of the tank, a nozzle mounted at the top end of this pilot pipe, a cone placed opposite the nozzle and entering a vertical wall of the tank at a higher level than the level to which the flanged opening of the body emerges in the tmk, a member enclosing the space included between the nozzle and the cone, a valv sliding in the body and whose partition may either permit or stop the admission of the liquid under pressure towards the flanged opening of the body and towards the opening with the smallest diameter on which is mounted the pilot pipe, this valve being thrust by the pressure of th liquid coming from the threaded opening towards the closing position of this valve, the body comprising an extension constituting a side chamber, a diaphragm contained in this side chamber and dividing into two zones this side chamber, the body presenting an outer bulge in which a duct is hollowed which makes the inside of the tank connect up with that of the two zones of the side chamber which is the nearest to the body, a depression pipework connecting the side chamber which is the furthest away from the body with the member which encloses the space included between the nozzle and the cone, this member being bored with a first duct which makes this depression pipew'ork connect with the nozzle and cone and being likewise bored with a small duct which makes said first duct connect with the inside of the tank and means maintaining the valve open for filling the tank and closing the valve under the control of the diaphragm contained in the side chamber when the diaphragm is deformed by the depression which is caused in that of the two zones of the side chamber which is the furthest away from the body.

4. A device for automatically filling a tank up to a certain level of the vertical walls of such tank by means of an admission pipe-system of liquid under pressure comprising a body provided with a threaded opening connected with the admission pipe system of liquid under pressure, an enlarged flanged opening fitted against a corresponding opening of a vertical wall of the tank, and a third opening with smaller diameter than the two previous holes, a pilot pipe mounted in the third opening 6f the body and rising towards the upper part of the tank, a nozzle mounted at the top end of this pilot pipe, a cone placed opposite the nozzle and entering in the vertical wall of the tank at a higher level than the flanged opening of the body emerges in the tank, a member enclosing the space included between the nozzle and the cone, a valve sliding in the body and whose position may either permit or stop the admission of the liquid under pressure towards the opening of the flange of th body and towards the opening with the smallest diameter on which is mounted the pilot pipe, this valve being thrust by the pressure of the liquid coming from the threaded opening towards the closing position of this valve, the body comprising an extension constituting a side chamber, a diaphragm. contained in this side chamber and dividing into two regions this side chamber, the body presenting an outer bulge in which is hollowed a duct which makes the inside of the tank connect with that of the two zones of the side chamber which is the nearest to the body, a depression pipework connecting the side chamber which is the furthest away from the body with the member which encloses the space included between the nozzle and the cone, this member being bored with a first duct which makes this depression pipework connect with the nozzle and the cone and likewise being bored with a small duct which makes said first duct connect with the inside of the tank, a cylindrical member fixed to the center of the diaphragm contained in the side chamber of the body, this cylindrical member comprising an extension which slides in an opening of the wall of the body, this extension being arranged to lock the valve in its opening position when the pressures exerted on the two faces of the diaphragm are equal and to free this valve in thus carrying out its closing under the action of the pressure of the liquid contained in the admission pipe system of the liquid when the center of the diaphragm moves towards the outside of the body as a result of the deformation of this diaphragm caused by a depression in that of the two zones of the side chamber which is the furthest away from the body.

JEAN MARCOU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 971,934 Siegrist Oct. 4, 1910 2,340,070 McCauley Jan. 25, 1944 2,384,628 Krone Sept. 11, 1945 

